Dial for engraving finger rings and the like

ABSTRACT

A character dial assembly used with a machine for engraving characters on finger rings and other metallic ornamental articles, which comprises a lower circular dial member and an upper circular dial member having a diameter smaller than the lower dial member. Each of the two dial members has its upper surface engraved with a set of various characters which are disposed circumferentially on the dial member in equal spaced relationship with one another. The lower dial member also has its upper surface impressed with index characters on its upper surface corresponding to the characters engraved thereon and disposed radially outwardly of the corresponding engraved characters. The upper dial member has a cut out section for obtaining access to the engraved characters on the lower dial member. The lower and upper dial members are coaxially connected together for rotation relative to each other.

United States Patent 1 Usami [54] DIAL FOR ENGRAVING FINGER RINGS AND THE LIKE [75] Inventor: Sadao Usami, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi,

Japan [73] Assignee: B. Jadow and Sons Inc., New York,

[22] Filed: Dec. 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 205,661

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 28, 1970 Japan ..45/141629 (utility model) [52] US. Cl. ..90/62 R, 33/23 K [51] Int. Cl. ....B23c 1/16, B431 13/10 [58] Field of Search ..90/62 R, 13.1; 33/23 K, 25 D, 174 B [56] References 'Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,608,429 9/1971 Berlant ..90/l3.1

Primary Examiner-Gil Weidenfeld AttorneyI-1arry G. Shapiro [57] ABSTRACT A character dial assembly used with a machine for engraving characters on finger rings and other metallic ornamental articles, which comprises a lower circular dial member and an upper circular dial member having a diameter smaller than the lower dial member. Each of the two dial members has its upper surface engraved with a set of various characters which are disposed circumferentially on the dial member in equal spaced relationship with one another. The lower dial member also has its upper surface impressed with index characters on its upper surface corresponding to the characters engraved thereon and disposed radially outwardly of the corresponding engraved characters. The upper dial member has a cut out section for obtaining access to the engraved characters on the lower dial member. The lower and upper dial members are coaxially connected together for rotation relative to each other.

15 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] JUN 5 I973 FIG.3

DIAL FOR ENGRAVING FINGER RINGS AND THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a character dial used with a machine for engraving characters and the like on finger rings or other metallic ornamental articles.

2. Description of the Prior Art A character dial for use with engraving machines and the like is generally required to have about 60 to 70 characters engraved on it, including Arabic numerals, capital and small alphabetical letters and associated symbols. Heretofore, this large number of characters was put on a single dial by engraving on both sides of the dial. However, the use of such a dial is cumbersome because the dial must constantly be turned over in order to fully select from all of the characters on the dial and in order to properly position the desired character with relation to the engraving machine. Furthermore, this type of dial was usually fixed to the engraving machine by screws which had to be removed each time the dial was turned over.

In order to overcome the disadvantages associated with turning over the dial, dials were provided which had engraved characters on only one side of the dial. However, in order to fit all the necessary characters on one side, the size of the dial had to be so large that it could no longer be fixed directly to the machine bed of the finger ring engraving machine or the like, and thus it has become necessary to employ a suitable attachment for mounting the dial to the machine bed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To overcome the problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a character dial assembly having an upper circular dial member rotatably mounted on a lower circular dial member. Each of the two dial members has its upper surface engraved with a set of various characters disposed in a circular pattern in equal spaced relationship with one another. The diameters of the circular patterns on the upper and lower dials are approximately equal, while the diameter of the lower dial is larger than the diameter of the upper dial. The lower dial member also has its upper surface marked with index characters corresponding to the engraved characters and disposed outwardly of the same engraved characters. The upper dial member has a cut out portion to allow access to the engraved characters on the lower dial member. The sets of characters engraved on the upper surfaces of the two dial members may include Arabic numerals, capital and small alphabetical letters and associated symbols.

The above objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG..4 is an exploded view of a portion of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 designates a finger ring engraving machine well known in the art as, for example, the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,562,269 issued July 7, 1951 to G.G. Gruettner et al. The engraving machine 1 includes a machine bed 2 having three support projections 3a, 3b, and 3c formed on the upper side thereof for stably supporting a character dial to be described. Support projection 3c is elongated, extending longitudinally on the machine bed 2 (i.e. from left to right in FIG. 1 and carries thereon a stopper or indexing member 4 for fixing the dial. The stopper 4 is reciprocally slidable longitudinally of the machine bed 2, i.e. in the direction of the arrow, by actuating an operating handle or like means (not shown). The machine bed 2 has an upright frame 5 secured to the rear portion thereof and provided with chucking means or the like (not shown) for holding a finger ring (not shown). A lettering rod 6 has its upper end connected to the upper portion of the frame 5 by means of a universal joint (not shown). Although not shown, the upper part of the lettering rod 6 is provided with an engraving rod for engraving characters in the inner side wall of the finger ring. A dial mounting cylinder 7 having an internally threaded bore is secured to the machine bed 2 with its upper portion slightly projected upwardly of the machine bed.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show an example of the dial assembly according to the present invention. The dial assembly comprises a lower circular dial member 8 having a central opening 9 formed therethrough for detachably mating with the outer side wall of the dial mounting cyl inder 7 of the finger ring engraving machine 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper face of circular dial member 8 includes several concentric annular surface areas delimited by various imaginary circular lines. A first or innermost annular surface area is a circle of engraving characters, delimited between imaginary lines 30 and 31. The engraving characters, such as Arabic numerals, capital alphabetical letters and associated symbols, indicated as 10, are engraved in the upper face of the dial. All of these characters are equally spaced apart and sized to the width of the annular surface area between circles 30 and 31. A second or intermediate annular surface area is a circle of indicia delimited between imaginary lines 33 and 34 which consists of a set of index characters 1 l, duplicating the set of engraving characters 10. The index characters are impressed on the dial and positioned to correspond to the position of the engraving characters 10 in the first annular surface area. A third or outermost annular surface area, delimited between an imaginary line 35 and the outer circumference of the dial member 8, includes a set of indexing notches 12 also positioned to correspond to the position of the engraving characters 10. The indexing notches are engageable with the tip end of the stopper 4 in the engraving machine 1 to thereby index the engraving characters one by one. The thickness of the dial member 8 is smaller than the length of the dial mounting cylinder 7 which is projected upwardly of the machine bed 2 of the finger ring engraving machine 1.

The dial assembly further comprises an upper circular dial member 13 having a diameter somewhat smaller than that of the lower dial member 8. In an outer circumferential portion of the upper dial member 13 there is formed a cut out 14 for viewing and obtaining access to a predetermined number (at least one) of the engraved characters on the lower dial member 8. The annular surface area of the upper dial member 13 which contains the cut out portion 14 includes a circle of engraving characters delimited between imaginary lines 30 and 37 in FIG. 2. These engraving cha'racters indicated as 15, such as Arabic numerals, small alphabetical letters and associated symbols, are engraved on the upper face of dial 13 and are equally spaced apart. The upper dial member 13 has a centrally disposed circular opening whose inner wall 38 provides a stepped portion 16 like a staircase.

A check plate or flange member 17 is connected to the lower dial member 8 by screws 19. The flange member 17 has a central opening 41 (FIG. 3) and an outer circumferential edge which provides a complementary stepped portion or flange surface 18 for mating with the stepped portion 16 of the upper dial member 13 and a guide surface 39 for coaction with the inner wall 38 of the upper dial member 13. The check plate 17 Secures upper dial member 13 to the lower dial member 8 while allowing the upper dial 13 to rotate with respect to the lower dial 8. A substantially circular recess 20, as deep as the stepped portion 18, is formed in the check plate 17 at a portion adjacent to the outer circumference thereof. A set screw 21 is received in the recess 20 to fix the upper dial 13 to the lower dial member 8. The set screw 21 is threaded into a threaded hole 40 in the lower dial member 8 through a small aperture 20a formed centrally of the recess 20 in the check plate 17, thereby fastening the upper dial member 13 to the lower dial member 8.

A knob or handle 22 is detachably screwed into the upper dial member 13 and has a recess formed in the lower end face thereof for resiliently receiving a slide ball 24 which is engageable with several small recesses 23 formed in the upper side of the lower dial member 8.

In operation, the lower dial member 8 is first mounted on the finger ring engraving machine 1 by engaging the center opening 9 of the lower dial with the outer wall of the dial mounting cylinder 7 extending through opening 41 in flange member 17, and then threading a set screw 25 into the internally threaded bore in the mounting cylinder 7. Thus, the dial assembly of the present invention is rotatably mounted on the machine bed 2 of the finger ring engraving machine 1.

To engrave some letters such as Asa on a finger ring (not shown) by using the dial assembly thus mounted on the finger ring engraving machine 1, the finger ring is first fixed by chucking means (not shown) in the engraving machine 1. The particular one of the indexing notches 12 which corresponds to the capital letter A is then selected by observing the index characters 11 near the periphery of the lower dial 8. With set screw 21 tightened, the knob 22 is then rotated, thereby rotating together the upper and lower dial members 13 and 8, until the notch 12 corresponding to the letter A is opposed to the stopper 4 of the engraving machine 1 to allow the stopper 4 to be received into that particular notch. With the stopper 4engaged in the notch, the dial assembly of the present invention is immovably positioned in the engraving machine. The set screw 21 is then loosened to unfasten the upper dial 13, which it thus allowed to rotate by rotating the knob 22 so that the cut out portion 14 of upper dial 13 is positioned over the desired character A (see FIG. 2). With the upper dial in this position, the point of the lettering rod 6 of the finger ring engraving machine 1 is moved I to follow the grooves provided by the engraved letter A on the lower dial member 8, so that the engraving rod (not shown) provided at the upper part of the lettering rod 6 is also moved to depict and engrave a letter A in the usual manner in the inner side wall of the finger ring mounted in the engraving machine.

The finger ring is then rotated in the engraving machine a predetermined pitch, by the usual means. The knob 22 is then rotated to rotate the upper dial member 13 until the small letter s thereon is in alignment with the particular one of the index characters 1 l which corresponds to the letter A on the lower dial member 8. The set screw 21 is then fastened to fix the upper dial member 13 to the lower dial member 8 with the aid of the check plate 17. In this position, the point of the lettering rod 6 is moved to follow the groove provided by the engraved letter s on the upper dial member 13, thus engraving a small letter s in the inner wall of the finger ring in-the same way as described above. The set screw 21 is then loosened to unfasten the upper dial member 13, which is thus allowed to rotate so as to enable another small letter a to be engraved in the inner wall of the finger ring in the same way as described. Thus, three letters Asa have been completely engraved on the finger ring.

It will be readily apparent that the imaginary circular lines 30, 31, 33, 34, 35 and 37 are only shown for the purpose of illustration and are not actually formed on the dial members.

As has been hitherto described with respect to a specific embodiment, the dial assembly of the present invention is characterized by a unique combination of a lower and an upper dial member 8 and 13, which combination eliminates the necessity of reversing the dial during its use as in the prior art and thus enables the engraving operation to be effected with greater ease and higher efficiency.

Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage that the lower dial member 8 may be of the same size as the conventional dial which requires no adapter attachment for mounting it to the machine bed.

Although the present invention has been shown and described as applied to a finger ring engraving machine, it should be understood that the invention may also be applicable to machines for engraving watches and other metallic ornamental articles.

It is believed that the advantages and improved results of the invention will be apparent from the foregoing description ofa preferred embodiment of the invention. It will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like comprising a lower dial; a circle of engraving characters on the upper face of the lower dial; an upper dial overlying the circle of characters on the lower dial; a circle of engraving characters on the upper face of the upper dial; a cut out portion on the upper dialexposing a portion of the circle of characters on the lower dial; means to rotatably mount the upper dial on the lower dial; and means to releasably fix the upper dial with relation to the lower dial.

2. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 1 including means for positioning the upper dial with relation to the lower dial.

3. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 2 including indexing notches on one of the lower and upper dials adapted to coact with an indexing member from an engraving machine.

4. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 3 wherein the upper dial is smaller than the lower dial.

5. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 4 including a circle of indicia on the lower dial positioned outwardly of the periphery of the upper dial.

6. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 1 wherein the means to rotatably mount the upper dial to the lower dial comprise the upper dial having a central opening therethrough; a flange member having a guide surface and a flange surface, the guide surface adapted to coact with the central opening of the upper dial to allow rotation of the upper dial about the guide surface, the flange surface adapted to coact with the surface of the upper dial remote from the lower dial to position the upper dial adjacent the lower dial; and means connecting the flange member to the lower dial.

7. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 6 wherein the means to rotatably mount the upper dial include an annular step on the upper dial; and an annular step in the flange member to mate with the annular step on the upper dial.

8. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 1 wherein the means to releasably fix the upper dial with relation to the lower dial comprise passage means to threadably receive a set screw in the lower dial; passage means for a locking member in the flange member; and a set screw threadably engaged with the passage member in the lower dial and extending through the passage means in the flange member, the set screw engageable with the upper dial when threaded into the lower dial passage means to releasably fix the upper dial to the lower dial.

9. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 8 wherein the means to releasably fix the upper dial with relation to the lower dial comprise a plurality of depressions formed in the lower dial; and resilient means connected to the upper dial to engage the depressions formed in the lower dial when the upper dial is rotated with respect to the lower dial.

10. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 2 wherein the means for positioning the upper dial comprise a handle extending upward from the upper disc.

11. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 2 wherein the means for positioning the upper dial further comprise a small, spherical member resiliently connected to the handle.

12. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 1 wherein the circle of engraving characters on the lower dial and the circle of engraving characters on the upper dial have substantially the same radial location relative the axis of rotation of the assembly.

13. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 12 wherein the engraving characters in the circle of engraving characters on the lower dial and the circle of engraving characters on the upper dial are disposed in equal angular spacing.

14. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 1 including means for mounting the character dial assembly upon an engraving machine comprising central passage means extending through the lower dial and the flange member to receive a positioning member for rotatably securing the character dial assembly to an engraving machine.

15. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 2 wherein the lower dial is larger than the upper dial; the circle of engraving characters on the lower dial and the circle of engraving characters on the upper dial are disposed at substantially equal radial distances from the axis of rotation of dial assembly and the engraving characters in each of the circles are disposed in substantially equal angular spacing; the lower dial includes a plurality of indexing notches adapted to coact with an indexing member on an engraving machine; the means to rotatably mount the upper dial on the lower dial comprise a central opening in the upper dial; a flange member having a guide surface and a flange surface, the guide surface adapted to coact with the central opening in the upper dial to allow rotation of the upper dial about the guide surface; the flange surface coacting with the surface of the upper dial remote from the lower dial to position the upper dial adjacent the lower dial; and means connecting the flange member to the lower dial; the means to releasably fix the upper dial with relation to the lower dial comprise passage means to threadably receive a set screw in the lower dial; passage means for a set screw in the flange member; and a set screw threadably engaged with a passage means in the lower dial extending through the passage means in the flange member and engageable with the upper dial when threaded into the lower dial passage means to releasably fix the upper dial to the lower dial; and the means for positioning the upper dial comprise a handle extending upward from the upper dial; a plurality of depressions formed in the lower dial; and a contacting ball resiliently connected to the upper dial to engage the depressions formed in the lower dial when the upper dial is rotated with respect to the lower dial; and further comprising means for mounting the character dial assembly to an engraving machine comprising a concentrically disposed passage means in the flange member and the lower dial adapted for rotatably mounting the character dial assembly on to a mounting member of an engraving machine or the like. 

1. A character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like comprising a lower dial; a circle of engraving characters on the upper face of the lower dial; an upper dial overlying the circle of characters on the lower dial; a circle of engraving characters on the upper face of the upper dial; a cut out portion on the upper dial exposing a portion of the circle of characters on the lower dial; means to rotatably mount the upper dial on the lower dial; and means to releasably fix the upper dial with relation to the lower dial.
 2. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 1 including means for positioning the upper dial with relation to the lower dial.
 3. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 2 including indexing notches on one of the lower and upper dials adapted to coact with an indexing member from an engraving machine.
 4. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 3 wherein the upper dial is smaller than the lower dial.
 5. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 4 including a circle of indicia on the lower dial positioned outwardly of the periphery of the upper dial.
 6. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 1 wherein the means to rotatably mount the upper dial to the lower dial cOmprise the upper dial having a central opening therethrough; a flange member having a guide surface and a flange surface, the guide surface adapted to coact with the central opening of the upper dial to allow rotation of the upper dial about the guide surface, the flange surface adapted to coact with the surface of the upper dial remote from the lower dial to position the upper dial adjacent the lower dial; and means connecting the flange member to the lower dial.
 7. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 6 wherein the means to rotatably mount the upper dial include an annular step on the upper dial; and an annular step in the flange member to mate with the annular step on the upper dial.
 8. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 1 wherein the means to releasably fix the upper dial with relation to the lower dial comprise passage means to threadably receive a set screw in the lower dial; passage means for a locking member in the flange member; and a set screw threadably engaged with the passage member in the lower dial and extending through the passage means in the flange member, the set screw engageable with the upper dial when threaded into the lower dial passage means to releasably fix the upper dial to the lower dial.
 9. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 8 wherein the means to releasably fix the upper dial with relation to the lower dial comprise a plurality of depressions formed in the lower dial; and resilient means connected to the upper dial to engage the depressions formed in the lower dial when the upper dial is rotated with respect to the lower dial.
 10. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 2 wherein the means for positioning the upper dial comprise a handle extending upward from the upper disc.
 11. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 2 wherein the means for positioning the upper dial further comprise a small, spherical member resiliently connected to the handle.
 12. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 1 wherein the circle of engraving characters on the lower dial and the circle of engraving characters on the upper dial have substantially the same radial location relative the axis of rotation of the assembly.
 13. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 12 wherein the engraving characters in the circle of engraving characters on the lower dial and the circle of engraving characters on the upper dial are disposed in equal angular spacing.
 14. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 1 including means for mounting the character dial assembly upon an engraving machine comprising central passage means extending through the lower dial and the flange member to receive a positioning member for rotatably securing the character dial assembly to an engraving machine.
 15. The character dial assembly for use with engraving machines and the like according to claim 2 wherein the lower dial is larger than the upper dial; the circle of engraving characters on the lower dial and the circle of engraving characters on the upper dial are disposed at substantially equal radial distances from the axis of rotation of dial assembly and the engraving characters in each of the circles are disposed in substantially equal angular spacing; the lower dial includes a plurality of indexing notches adapted to coact with an indexing member on an engraving machine; the means to rotatably mount the upper dial on the lower dial comprise a central opening in the upper dial; a flange member having a guide surface and a flange surface, the guide surface adapted to coact with the central opening in the upper dial to allow rotation of the upper dial aboUt the guide surface; the flange surface coacting with the surface of the upper dial remote from the lower dial to position the upper dial adjacent the lower dial; and means connecting the flange member to the lower dial; the means to releasably fix the upper dial with relation to the lower dial comprise passage means to threadably receive a set screw in the lower dial; passage means for a set screw in the flange member; and a set screw threadably engaged with a passage means in the lower dial extending through the passage means in the flange member and engageable with the upper dial when threaded into the lower dial passage means to releasably fix the upper dial to the lower dial; and the means for positioning the upper dial comprise a handle extending upward from the upper dial; a plurality of depressions formed in the lower dial; and a contacting ball resiliently connected to the upper dial to engage the depressions formed in the lower dial when the upper dial is rotated with respect to the lower dial; and further comprising means for mounting the character dial assembly to an engraving machine comprising a concentrically disposed passage means in the flange member and the lower dial adapted for rotatably mounting the character dial assembly on to a mounting member of an engraving machine or the like. 